Rebirth Through Fire
by onewritereightnames
Summary: Sequel to my fanfic "Iron Man: Dead to the World" Tony Stark, his lover Marie, Bruce Banner, and Thor have ended up in a different universe. A universe where nuclear war occurred. At the culmination of a battle with a revenge-crazed Dr. Strange a portal was opened to this world. Finding themselves in a very different Australia, they begin new lives. Also features Stark's children.


A/N: Alright so this new story is a continuation of Iron Man: Dead to the World. I'm going to place it under the Avenger's movie because it will also feature the Hulk and Thor as well as Iron Man and Marie. This story will still include some romance sub plots though the shift will move away from the romance between Tony Stark and Marie in the grand scheme of things. A couple things to note at this point, you should read my story Iron Man: Dead to the World to get caught up on the story, this first Issue takes places immediately after the events of the other story, the other issues will be placed twenty years into the future, and finally happy reading.

Issue 0: The New World.

Tony Stark's mind was like a hurricane of swirling thoughts and questions about the last couple hours. The one that he couldn't seem to stop asking was the one he already knew the answer to.

"So you're sure I'm not dead?" Stark asked.

"For the millionth time yes you idiot. We saw you come through that white light-portal thingy and here you are walking and breathing. Also I know for damn sure this ain't heaven and we're pretty sure it ain't Hell. At least not here in the N.A.S.S."

"So, Sergeant Wolff right?, tell me again everything that happened in 1963," Stark said as they walked towards the tents erected in the distance.

"In early April President Kennedy discovers an intricate Soviet plot to assassinate him by the end of that year. Tensions rose between the Warsaw Pact and NATO forces in Germany and other hot zones around the world. Then in June a supposed Soviet defector reached the U.N with apparent evidence of invasion plans for Australia. Many forces were sent here to build up for a possible attack and in the long run so nuclear missiles could be set up close to China. Then in November Kennedy is shot at in Dallas. The shot misses, the shooter a known defector to the Soviets using the name Jack Kirby. The next day is November 24th and the U.S launches their nukes at the Soviets, Chinese, and their allies. The others respond in kind and from then we don't know. Two Chinese nukes fell short and landed in the ocean to the north of Australia. Otherwise we know nothing. Broadcasts from Japanese aircraft come in occasionally but our radios aren't good enough to respond. The only people we've had regular communications with are the New Zealanders and tensions seem to be brewing among them," finished Wolff.

"So what happened to you guys here in Aussie land?"

"Well I wasn't around back then, though my father certainly was. The military sent here from our various allies were talked into staying here and becoming citizens of Australia. They and the regular kept things in order for a while through rationing and telling the people things would go back to normal pretty soon. However that was wrong and when the oil ran out the panic set in and anarchy took the throne. The military decided that the cities and towns were too chaotic to try and control or live in so they went towards the center of the island. They discovered something interesting there, the aborigines. They hadn't been affected at all; in fact they didn't even know that the world had been engulfed in nuclear fire. So the military began to learn with them on how to harvest, hunt, and live according to ones means. So while the people resorted to tribes of marauding bandits the military and aborigines taught each other and began to spread out as their numbers grew. When I was born in '76 my father and the strange military-aborigine alliance had begun to go to more populous territories and either gain their alliance or shoot so many of them that the survivors would join. I was only 16 when I fought alongside my father in the battle for Sidney and saw him get his legs torn off by a land mine. As I cradled his head in my hands in that ditch he told me three things; to always remember the German blood in my veins, to strive for equality and peace, and finally to bury him. He never asked for me to put him out of his misery, it didn't need to be said aloud. After Sidney fell pretty much everyone flocked to join what people were beginning to thing of as a new start for Australia. Here we are four years later," concluded Wolff as they reached the tents.

"That's impossible." said Stark, stopping suddenly.

"What?"

"You said you were born in '76, fought at age 16, and now its four years later. That would make it 1996."

"April fourth to be exact," replied Wolff.

"That's impossible though, it's 2012."

"Maybe you did get some head injuries from coming through that portal thing. Its 1996, deal with it mate. This is your new reality. Anyways we're here to find your buddies right? Let's get to it."

It took them only moments to find that Dr. Banner was sleeping and perfectly fine, Thor was confused but otherwise fine, and that Marie was over in tent 17B. Stark and Wolff had walked in with their spirits pretty high considering the good prognoses of Stark's allies but that all took for the worse when they entered the room.

"I presume you are one of her friends that also came through the portal Mr.?" asked the Medic who was by her bed.

"Stark and yes her friend. Well I guess more than that actually."

"Well that's one mystery solved. I have some good news, some bad, and some that may come as a shock for you Comrade. Marie here has only minor abrasions, bruises, and cuts so nothing serious. The bad news is that she's unresponsive, though stable. It could be a concussion but it likely may be something more serious. I'm sorry. Finally, it seems that… well it seems that your going to be a father."

Eight months later Tony Stark was drunk, just like he had been almost every day for the past months. Every day he had worked his shift in construction, traded his ration tickets for illegal whiskey, and had shown up at Sydney hospital so he could sit next to Marie until he fell asleep. Every night in the chair he simply sat in despair and stared at Marie's face. The pale yellow light that came off of the lantern always added to the sick feeling in Stark's stomach.

The thing that always made him feel worse were the words that kept echoing in his head, "Unlikely to have a successful birth naturally so the child would die. Otherwise a C section would be very risky to her and in that case only the baby would live. I'm so sorry."

In those words was a terrible, unspoken question that haunted Tony. A question between life and death, child or mother, new life or old, and so Tony fled. He fled and embraced the devil as he downed bottle after bottle of terrible liquor. Instead of choosing who he would sacrifice Stark sacrificed his senses so that he could keep avoiding the choice. But not even the invincible can run forever.

It was a scorching December day when Stark stumbled into the hospital only to find Marie was gone from her room. It took him several minutes of slurred questioning to find she was in one the maternity ward because the baby was due. As he sprinted in the direction the nurse had pointed in he heard her shout, "Run man run, she's been cursing you at the top of her lungs because you aren't there! She's awake and angry as hell!"

Several hours later found Tony Stark standing wide eyed, with a stinging cheek, and grinning like a mad man

"God damn it Tony, I awaken from a coma to find myself giving birth to twins and all you can do is stand there, dirty, smelling like booze, and looking like a lunatic. God damn you, say something!" shouted Marie as she slapped Tony again.

"Let's name them Robert and Emily."


End file.
